Trap



May 26, 1925.

G. H. HAGERMAN N TRAP Filed Jan. 21. 1924 W MM 0130 Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. j

TRAP.

Application filed January 21, 1924. -Serial No. 687,611.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. HAGER- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muscatine, in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps;- and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

My invention relates to improvements in traps and relates more particularly to one which is designated primarily for catching mice, rats, ground squirrels and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a trap which includes a horizontal runway open at both of its ends, so that the prey may see entirely through the trap and hence will not be as suspicious thereof as otherwise. In this connection, a further aim is to have the runway open also at its bottom and free of treadles or the like, so that as the prey enters the trap, no difference will be noticed in the footing upon which he walks.

Yet another aim is to provide a trap with a runway as above set forth, including means adjacent each end of said runway operative to catch the prey regardless of the direction from which he enters the trap.

A still further aim is to provide novel means for setting the trap and holding it in set position, provision being made whereby the operator does not have to touch the spring-actuated jaw by means of which the prey is killed, thus providing a trap which is much more sanitary than those commonly used.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a trap constructed in accordance with my invention showing it respectively in set and sprung positions.

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the trap set.

Figure 4: is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3.

In the form of construction selected for illustration in the present application, the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair of upwardly converging side walls which are entirelyfree of connection at their lower ends but are connected at their upper ends by an elongated ridge block 3 which may well:

have grooves a in which the walls are secured, if wooden construction is used. If a" metal construction is employed, however,

this detail is not necessary and the entire jaw 5 between the walls 1 and' 2, the vertical arms 6 of said jaw being disposed'adjacent the opposite ends of the runway so, that one or the other of themmay operateto kill the prey regardless of the direction in whichhe enters the trap. I have shown the upper ends of the arms 6 bent inwardly toward each other as indicated at 7 and connected by staples 8 with the ridge block 3, so that the entire aw 5 is pivotally hung from said block. Appropriate springs 9 have been shown surrounding the portions 7 of the arms 6, for the purpose-of throwing the jaw 5 toward the wall 2, when the trap is sprung.

Near its lower-end, I h'ave shown the wall 1 provided with a horizontal slot 10 and with a vertical slot 11. Through the slot 11, a link-12'pass'es, the inner end of said link being pivotally connected at 13 with the jaw 5, while its outer end is preferably provided with a finger ring or the like 14. By pulling this ring outwardly and moving it at the same time to swing the link 12 upwardly toward the wall 1, the jaw 5 may be easily retracted against the action of the springs 9 anl set,'as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. I preferably provide a short length ofwire or the like 15, secured to the outer side of the wall 1 at the upper end of'the slot 11, to form a shoe over which the link 12 slides when the trap is being set or sprung. An arm 16 is looselyv pivoted at 17 to the upper end portion of the wall 1 and is adapted to be swung across the link 12 when the latter is in set position, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the free end of said arm 16 being adapted for engagement with a stationary hook 18 carriedby said wall. Thus, it will be seen that the link12 is held in its raised position and consequently the jaw 5 is retained in a set position.

For releasing the arm 16, I preferably provide the novel construction shown. piece of wire is bent to form an elongated ing plates 20, to provi s a supporting rock shaft 21 for said frame 19, the free end of I this rock shaft being by preference bent lat erally at 22 to prevent possible withdrawal from its bearing openings. The other end of; theqwire is bent downwardly from theinterniediate portion of the frame 19, ad-

jaoent theshaft. 21, and constitutes atrig 'ger; arm 23 disposed at the outer side of the M111, the lowerfiend of this trigger J urmjheing bent horizontally inward as indiciited :24 to provide a bait-carrying fingel which passes loosely through the slot 1 ,156 the interior of the trap.

iii)

In some instances, it is not necessary to placahflt upon the, finger 24,;ats the trip may be sof-positioned that any animal, pass ingtherethrough will necessarily strike this finger andeause rocking of the frame 19 to release the arm 16, thus in turn releasing T the. link"1-2- and allowing thetrap to act. 'InFmost instances, however, bait is used. If

desired; when trapping rather suspicious 3 prey, a piece of clothor the like maybe used to totallyobscnre the jaw 5-fr0In view, and when the trap is sprung, this clo'bh will move with the jaw; Even when no such obscaring means is employed, however, the

' jaw 5 is more or less obscured from view,

as it lies very close to the inner side of the wtu- 1 and hence does not materially interfere with the animals vision, entirely through the trap; V-

The device is simple and inexpensive, me be easily manufactured, may be .set wit ease, without the necessity of touching the parts which killth'e prey, the prey may also be removed from vthe trap without touching, and the device is not only generally eflicient, but is in every way desir-a let i i a is excellent results have been obtained from the' details disclosed, they are by preferenoe followed, hut within the scope of the invention as t claimed, ,n umerous minor changes may be made.)

wI'claim a a v L'A trap comprising a pair of spaced Walls one of which is formed with an opening from its inner to itsfouter side, a springactiiated jaw. co-operable with the other walland mounted between said walls, a jaw-setting link extending from said jaw through said opening, and trigger-released ma n's vtor holding said link to retain the jaw in set position. i v

2QA trap comprising a en of vspaced walls one of which is formed with an open ing from itsinner to its outer side, asprmgac't u-ated jaw mounted between seid walls, a jaw=setting link extending from said jaw through said opehingamd .ada'ptedto pulled outwardlymnd, towarisaid one wlill to set Qaid javkhnj @I' re ased means for holding said link to retain the jaw in set position l I A-structui'e assphciiied in claim 2; together with a shoe carried-by said one wall adjacent said opening across which said link slideswhen settingand releasing the trap.

&. A trap comprising a pair of spaced walls on of which is, formed with an open;

ing from its inner to its oute side, a springactuated jaw mounted betweensaid walls,

a jaw-setting link extending from said jaw arm in operative position, and a trigger arm mounted pivotitllyat th outer side of f'saido e-walh i' rigger arm hi f a P io to strike and release saidfirst named arm and having an operating portionwextending into the space between the two w'alls. 5.. A trap omprising, a

i.r of. spaced wallsoneof which, is forme withan open- 7 ing from its inner to its'jouter side, a Spllnfr- I actuated jaw mounted between said we a jaw-setting link extending from said jaw through said opening and adapted to be pulled outwardly and swung upwardly towardsaid one wallto m nd jaw, an arm o pivoted to the outer side of said one wall and adaptedto be swung across said link to hold the latter and retain the jaw, in set position, astationar-y hook for holding said arm in operative position, and a wire bent 1 to forma horizontal frsme adjacentsthe operative position of -'said arm for releasing the latter,v one end of said wire being passed through an opening in saidone' wall'to iv; otally mount said frame, the other. en of said wire being extended downwardly and bent laterally inward-to for-ma bait-carry ing finger, said one wall having an. opening through which said finger passes loosely.

6. A trap comprising a pair of upwardly converging Walls and e10 atsd' ridge block connecting their en s, a"v spring,- actuated jaw pivotallyl hung from sald ridge block and co-operable with one of said walls and trigger-released means associated with the other of said walls for holding said jaw inset position.

7. A trap comprising a pair of upwardly converging walls. and an elongated fridge block connecting their upper ends, oneof 1 said walls having a pair of openings, a spring actuated jaw co-operable with the other wall and ipivotally hung "from said ridge block betweenI the two W811$5-i1pdglllk extending fromsaid jfaw throughone of said openings and adapted to be pulledoutwardly and swung upwardly to set said jaw, an arm pivoted'to the outer side of said one wall and adapted to swing across and hold said link when the latter is in raised position, a stationary hook for holding said arm, and a Vertical trigger arm pivotally hung at the outer side of said one Wall and adapted to strike and release said first named arm said trigger arm having a bait-carrying finger passing through the other one of said pair of openings.

8. A trap comprising a runway opening horizontally at both ends to permit the prey to see entirely through such runway when approaching it from either direction, a spring-actuated jaw in said runway having prey-killing portions co-operable with one side wall thereof, said portions being disposed one adjacent each end of the runway, and holding means for said jaw including a trigger in the runway operable by pressure of the animals body forwardly or backwardly in passing through the trap.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE H. HAGERMANN. 

